18 Conclusion

The next generation of research and education backbone networks (GÉANT2, National LambdaRail, Abilene2 as well as individual NRENs) will have to provide especially higher transmission bandwidths and complement the classical IP service with lambda services. At present, the capacity of n×10 Gbps backbone lines is a short-term goal; for longer-term prospect (2-4 years), higher transmission speeds (n×40 Gbps and more) should be expected. These speeds and services will be of an end-to-end character so that the end users will not have to deal with features and differences of backbone, metropolitan and institutional networks and services. The reasons are in particular:

requirement for creating research cooperation environments (Grids and other new classes of applications and middleware services)
possibility of rendering multigigabit connections including the first mile for those research and education workplaces which can take advantage of them
possibility of making unique or very expensive research equipment accessible for remote users in real time
users' lasting interest in videoconferences and other applications (media streaming, eLearning support)
the organic growth of IP user traffic enabled by continuous institutional and metropolitan network upgrades

At the same time, the technical foundation on which the research networks are being built is changing. The changeover to CEF networks became a widely accepted strategy because it allows providing better services for research and education. The price reasons for this changeover are gradually turning out as important but not of the highest priority (in some cases, this transfer is not cheaper but new opportunities for research support are created). This situation is difficult for management and staff of some NRENs because they did not expect it. Moreover, some of the telecommunication operators and network equipment producers intensively and often successfully resist it, especially when their position is dominant. However, other operators begin to offer the support and projecting of CEF network deployment and maintenance, in addition to "telecommunication services with high added value", and they offer also modules and equipment for multivendor networks in addition to closed company solutions.

Judging from the development in this field, the research goals given in the research plan have been defined correctly and changing them in 2005 is not necessary. Obviously, one can not suppose for sure that all goals for the seven-year period have been defined perfectly; therefore, defining more accurate goals or only the ways of reaching them may be needed in later phases (e.g., after some four years).

More importantly, the basic results and realisation plans of the research project should be consulted often both with international and our national experts and customers, and various opinions, suggestions and comments should be analysed and evaluated. For this purpose, the CESNET Association traditionally holds specialised seminars and presents the results at international conferences. This will continue in future.

All in all, we held the following seminars in 2004:

In February, we held a seminar called CESNET2 - the National Research Network for current and potential participants in our NREN. Its aim was to inform about the present state of the network, its features and applicability.

The international workshop Customer Empowered Fibre Networks, held in May, brought a wide response. It was intended mainly for foreign participants; its main purpose was exchange of experience with CEF network building in various countries.

Based on the response to the IPv6 seminar held in autumn 2003 for the professional public, the Association prepared another seminar on this topic in June, this time for the CESNET members. The participants were informed about the actual state of IPv6 protocol and the experience with its practical deployment.

In June, we held a professional seminar called Technical, Commercial and Legal Solutions in the Sphere of Identification Cards and PKI, with the participation of the Czech Ministry of Informatics. Nine Czech firms presented their samples of technologies using R/W cards with encryption and using the PKI. The seminar closed the first stage of intensive discussion between the representatives of universities and the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. This discussion concerned:

unification of ID cards used by university students and employees
purposeful standardising of data in the ID card system
PKI technology integration.

In October, an introductory seminar of the EGEE (Enabling Grids for E-SciencE) project was held. Its main topic was the pan-European grid infrastructure which is being built within the EGEE project. The participants were informed about the applications which this environment is meant for, and about possible environment adaptation for further applications. Basic operation in the grid environment was also presented to the professional public during the seminar.

In December, this seminar was followed up with a seminar for advanced users of grid infrastructure being built within the EGEE project framework. Its main motivation was to enable the applicants to see the way of working in the EGEE Grid environment in detail.

The Network and Its Traffic Monitoring was the topic of the last seminar. The results of the work and the experience of the Association in the following areas were presented:

monitoring and analysis of traffic based on flow measurement
measuring high-speed networks and their properties
communication performance characteristics in the perspective of end terminals.

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